1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to an adhesive bandage having improved comfort and fit during use by the consumer. The adhesive bandage has a backing material, an adhesive, and a wound-contacting pad. The adhesive bandage is designed to be more comfortable when worn over wounds in areas that bend, e.g., finger joints. The bandage is tapered at one side thereof to provide the improved comfort.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Adhesives bandages are widely used to cover and protect wounds on various parts of the human body. A variety of adhesive bandage structures and designs are commercially available to attend to different patient needs, based on the location and severity of the wound.
It is known that fingers are one of the most frequently injured regions of the body. The bandages frequently applied to wounds on fingers have a rectangular shape or rounded corners created by the removal of some material from the corners of the rectangle. These bandages typically have 3% or less of the total original rectangular area removed. The use of these bandages may present some discomfort as well as poor skin adhesion during use. The discomfort and poor adhesion may be due at least in part to the shape of the bandage. There is a need for a finger bandage that provides improved comfort.
In a co-pending Japanese Patent Application No. 332101/99, a bandage having tapered ends with slits on either side of the absorbent pad was disclosed. The slits were believed to be necessary to reduce stress in the area of the bandage surrounding the absorbent pad. Although the bandage provides improved comfort, the bandage is difficult to make on a commercial scale due to the slits provided therein. Despite the disclosure of the prior art, there is a continuing need for a finger bandage that provides improved comfort during use.
The present invention provides an adhesive bandage having:
a backing material having a first major surface and a second major surface;
an adhesive applied to at least one of said first and second major surfaces; and a wound contacting pad secured to said backing material by a portion of said adhesive;
said bandage having a longitudinal axis, a transverse axis substantially perpendicular to said longitudinal axis, and a perimeter;
the perimeter of said bandage comprising an upper edge, a lower edge, a first rounded side edge and a second rounded side edge;
said upper edge comprising a first linear segment and a second linear segment joined at a point of inflection and having a first free end and a second free end;
said lower edge comprising a first linear segment and a second linear segment joined at a point of inflection and having a first free end and a second free end;
the first free end of said upper edge being joined to one end of said first rounded side edge and the first free end of said lower edge being joined to the other end of said first rounded side edge;
the second free end of said upper edge being joined to one end of said second rounded side edge and the second free end of said lower edge being joined to the other end of said second rounded side edge;
the radius of curvature of said first rounded side edge being greater than the radius of curvature of said second rounded side edge.